Alexander Afenyo-Markin
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has accused the government of double standards and political hypocrisy over the sudden disappearance of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, from Parliament’s Order Paper.
Speaking on the floor of the House yesterday, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), which had previously pushed aggressively for the passage of the bill while in opposition, was now attempting to distance itself from the process under pressure from international stakeholders.
“Mr. Speaker, we are in this political act together,” he began and added, “When we were in government, our friends knew the views of stakeholders in governance on this matter. The chickens have now come home to roost.”
He accused the NDC Members of Parliament (MPs) of attempting to use “procedural excuses” to delay or abandon the bill, which he said had already gone through all the necessary parliamentary stages, including approval for gazetting and advertisement for its first reading.
“Only yesterday, when we were ready for decision, Mr. Speaker, you said the bill must pass. Now they are in government, sitting in the hot seat, and with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank breathing down their necks, they are suddenly talking about procedure. Which mistake? There was nothing administratively in error,” he stated.
The Minority Leader argued that the governing party had used the anti-LGBTQ+ debate as a political weapon while in opposition, only to retreat now that they must act on it in power.
“You forced LGBT on the throat of the previous government. Today, you don’t want it. You used it to win elections, and now when your international friends are warning you, you want to run away,” he declared.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin recounted how, during the previous administration, opposition NDC MPs had insisted that the bill be signed into law even when it was still before the courts.
“Now that you are in government, you are saying the bill must wait. You are in the kitchen now, and you can feel the heat,” he said, drawing laughter from both sides of the chamber.
He reminded the House that the anti-LGBTQ+ bill was presented as a moral and cultural defense of Ghana’s family values and traditions, while President Mahama was seeking re-election.
“Even at the time, President Mahama said the bill had been seen and referred to the Attorney-General for advice. That was in January. So what has changed now?” he asked.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s comments came after confusion arose over the fate of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, which was advertised for its first reading but did not appear on the Order Paper the following day.
Later, at a press briefing, Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, confirmed that the bill had completed all procedural steps before the recess, and accused the NDC government of acting “in a rather Nicodemus manner” to remove it.
According to him, the bill was duly approved by the Speaker, reviewed by the Legislative Drafting Department and the Attorney-General’s office, and referred to the Committee on Private Members’ Bills chaired by the First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, who raised no objection at the time.
“The Speaker cannot say he is unaware, the Clerk cannot say he is unaware, and the First Deputy Speaker cannot say he is unaware,” Mr. Fordjour said and added, “This clearly shows there is a deliberate attempt to run away from the bill.”
Mr. Fordjour insisted that the bill reflected the moral convictions of the majority of Ghanaians and must be restored immediately to the Order Paper for debate and passage.
“The same bill that was important yesterday must be important today. We will not allow the government to bury it. Ghanaians want this bill passed now to protect our values and traditions,” he said.
Majority Leader
However, the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, assured Ghanaians that the governing National Democratic Congress will not allow the practice of LGBTQ+ activities to flourish under its administration.
Responding to comments by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, on the floor of Parliament, Mr. Ayariga dismissed suggestions that the government was backtracking on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025.
“Mr. Speaker, I can assure you, and I can assure every Ghanaian, that under the watch of the NDC government, this practice will not be allowed,” the Majority Leader said firmly.
“Even when we were in the Minority, we succeeded in passing this bill, and so far as the records will bear it, this House passed the bill,” he insisted.
His comments followed a heated exchange in the chamber after the Minority accused the government of “running away” from the bill, which they claimed had mysteriously disappeared from Parliament’s Order Paper despite being advertised for its first reading earlier in the week.
Mr. Ayariga, however, maintained that there was no cause for alarm, insisting that Parliament had already done its part and that the bill was not in jeopardy.
“So far as we are concerned, this House passed the bill,” he reiterated, adding, “We will wait for the Speaker to return and give directions in this matter.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House